Distracted driving is dangerous, sure, but distractions at work, home, or anywhere can have disastrous effects

If you are worried that spending all day answering text messages and opening e-mails is making you dumber, you might be right.

In the last decade, high-tech brain scanning has shed new light on the mechanics of distraction - what happens when we shift attention frequently or let the mind wander. One thing has become certain: A person’s attention is a limited resource.